"Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.
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Lesson 28: Suffering with Christ:
Review
In this series we have considered...
1. The power of the
Cross over the curse of sin;
2. The release of the
life of the risen Christ from the humble servant heart of the believer;
3. The facing of
temptation in the disciple's daily experience.
In this lesson we shall see...
1. The nature of
suffering that is a part of life;
2. The reality of
suffering in the believer's life;
3. The circumstances of
suffering in the believer's walk with the Lord;
4. The suffering of
Jesus and how we share in it.
5. See Ephesians
3:10. The Father's purpose for us is "that now the manifold
wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities
and powers in the heavenly places..."
Our objective is...
to understand that we cannot run away from the reality of various forms
of suffering, but that our experience of it can be a mighty
demonstration of the reality of the wisdom of God.
1. The reality of suffering in the
Christian life.
2 Corinthians 4:4
whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest
the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of
God, should shine on them.
The world is in the grip of Satan called the god of this age.
Isaiah 53:4
Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed
Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
God is not indifferent to our sufferings as may be imagined.
Philippians 1:29
For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe
in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
The Christian life is not only a life of speaking about the cross, but
it is also the experiencing of the cross.
1 Peter 2:21
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
Suffering is a fact of life for all who take the Christian life
seriously
1 Peter 4:12-19
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to
try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to
the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory
is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are
reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of
glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on
your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer
as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s
matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be
ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For
the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it
begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the
gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely
saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit
their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
See also Hebrews 11:35-38
The Word of God encourages us to rejoice in suffering because we share
in what Christ has done.
Ref. Ephesians 3:8-10
1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an
unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and
drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy
manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning theLord’s
body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many
sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be
judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord,
that we may not be condemned with the world.
Some suffering is not in the will of God and should not be rejoiced
over but be endured.
Hebrews 12:5-6
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged
when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves
He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”
Suffering that is the result of our stupidity, or continued sin should
be endured as the Lord's discipline of His child.
2. The circumstances of suffering.
2 Corinthians 11:16-33
I speak as a fool; I am more: in labours more abundant, in stripes
above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From
the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three
times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was
shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in
journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of
my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in
perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false
brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in
hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness; besides
the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the
churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble,
and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast
in the things which concern my infirmity. The God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not
lying. In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was
guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest
me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall,
and escaped from his hands.
Paul's experience as a Christian following His calling resulted in
considerable suffering of many kinds.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is
made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in
my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in
persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak,
then I am strong.
Paul demonstrates the cost of serving the Lord talking of overt
persecution and opposition.
1 Peter 1:6-7
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be,
you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your
faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is
tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the
revelation of Jesus Christ,
This is the way our faith in the Lord is tested NB.1 Peter
5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His
eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while,
perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Hebrews 2:10
For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all
things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings.
2 Corinthians 1:4-5
who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves
are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in
us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
If it happened for Jesus, the representative man, it will happen for
those who are disciples of their Master. Ref. 1 Peter 4:1,2
3. The sufferings of Jesus.
Colossians 1:24
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is
lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which
is the church,
Paul is not seeing that Christ's sufferings were not enough, but that
because of his sufferings he is closely identified with Jesus.
2 Corinthians 4:10
always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the
life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
See Acts 9:16 and Philippians 3:10
Malcolm Vine, Cornerstone Ministries. September 2004.
To contact the Bible School email: bibleschool@cornerstoneministries.org.uk
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